Looking for a foreign destination where the natives are friendly, the food is good, the scenery is inspiring and there’s lots for the whole family to do? Located in the Laurentian Mountains just north of Montreal, Mont-Tremblant is a four-season destination for families who love nature, as well as shopping and fine dining. Aussi, vacationing at Tremblant is a fun way to brush up on your French. The original Algonquin inhabitants of the area called it “The Trembling Mountain”. Today Mont-Tremblant is home to a pedestrian-only resort village of boutiques, restaurants, and galleries, with a free cabriole to whisk you over its colorful rooftops. As you glide through the air, you can see families frolicking in La Source, the indoor/outdoor aqua center with its Tarzan ropes, water slides and fitness center. For indoor fun there’s also the Studio Créatif, a paint-your-own-pottery studio, and the village cinéma, but mostly Tremblant is an outdoor lover’s vacation spot. All activities can be enjoyed with or without children; various kids’ clubs are available. The winter season at Mont-Tremblant (late November through mid-April) offers skiing on 92 trails with 13 lifts, a snow school, snowboarding, snowshoeing, ice-skating, snowmobiling, ice-climbing, tubing, dog-sledding, cross-country skiing and sleigh rides. Special races, competitions, musical events and fireworks are also scheduled throughout the season. For a great escape from the New York summers, Mont-Tremblant beckons with hiking, biking, Rollerblading, rock-climbing, mini-golf, sailing, tennis, swimming, golf, circus arts, ropes course, tubing, float trips, lake cruises, campfires, and music festivals. The past three summers we have vacationed at Tremblant, and each visit we’ve found something new to do. This year, the luge was a big hit. Helmeted and ready, we took the ski lift to the top of the winding track, briefly rehearsed our braking skills, and raced one another down the mountain. On our first trip we stayed at Le Grand Lodge, a beautiful log-cabin style hotel on Lac Ouimet, where we enjoyed a lovely lakefront view from our balcony. The second year we tried the all-inclusive Club Tremblant, but we preferred cooking our own meals and having more control over our schedules. This summer we stayed in a Sunstar two-bedroom condominium at Les Manoirs, a half-mile from the pedestrian village. With its swimming pool and hot tub, playground, and even a tree house, the complex was perfect for our family. We rode our bicycles from our door into town, grilled fish on our patio grill, and played Mad Libs in our luxurious living room. Before booking a trip for your family to Tremblant, here are two points of caution — the crépes with béchamel sauce can do a number on your waistline (bigger), and the countless activities can do a number on your wallet (smaller). With so many temptations, it’s best to arrive with a firm number of rich meals you plan to eat and a firm number of dollars you are willing to spend. Then don’t sweat it if you go for the whipped cream on the hot chocolate, and remember the exchange rate is still favorable. For more information, visit www.tremblant.com or call 1-866-253-0097.
